Review: Gr.1 Goodwood Cup (Race Video 2019, Race Result 2019, Race Info)
Stradivarius gained entry into the exclusive Group One three-peat fraternity with a third successive victory in the Gr.1 Goodwood Cup amid thunderous applause.
John Gosden's star stayer enjoyed a faultless campaign in 2018 - winning the Yorkshire Cup, the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup and landeing land a huge bonus through the inaugural Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million.
For good measure, the five-year-old added the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup back at Ascot in October to his seasonal haul, and has continued in the same vein this term - with successful defences of the Yorkshire Cup and the Gold Cup setting up his Goodwood hat-trick bid.
Frankie Dettori was happy to play a waiting game as the Tim Easterby-trained Wells Farhh Go set a strong pace and quickly opened up a huge lead. He began to faltered, however, and it was left for the big guns including Dee Ex Bee to fight it out.
Stradivarius won by just a neck over Dee Ex Bee, with Dettori celebrating before passing the post.
Owner-breeder Bjorn Nielsen is keen for Stradivarius to stay in training next year
Mark Johnston's Gold Cup runner-up did his best to draw the finish out of Stradivarius, while Melbourne Cup hero and Gold Cup fourth Cross Counter travelled into the race smoothly.
Click Here To Watch Race 2019
Full Finishing list 2019
1st Stradivarius (J. Gosden,F. Dettori), 2nd Dee Ex Bee (M. Johnston,S. Sousa), 3rd Cross Counter (C. Appleby, J. Doyle), 4th Southern France (A. O'Brien,R. Moore), 5th Dashing Willoughby (A. Balding,O. Murphy), 6th South Pacific (A. O'Brien,W. Lordan), 7th Harpo Marx (A. O'Brien,A. Atzeni), 8th Wells Farhh Go (T. Easterby,D. Allan)
Race Info:
Distance: 2 miles (3,219 metres), Surface: Turf, Track: Left / right-handed, Qualification: Three-years-old and up,Weight: 8 st 8 lb (3yo);,9 st 9 lb (4yo+), Allowances,3 lb for fillies and mares,Purse: £500,000 (2019),1st: £283,550